The destruction wrought by Hurricane Florence on the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center is not getting in the way of Waterfowl Weekend. The annual celebration kicks off Friday, as planned.

Harkers Island School will be filled Saturday and Sunday to the brim with vendors, carvers, artisans and more during the 31st annual Core Sound Decoy Festival, which celebrates waterfowl carving heritage.

Once planned for demolition, the National Park Service instead restored the early-1960s modernist visitor center at the Wright Brothers Memorial, which recently reopened after the two-year, $5.8 million project.

Birder Jeff Lewis runs through the possibilities of birds that may be spotted this month along the coast and invites fellow bird lovers to the 22nd annual Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival Oct. 16-21 on the Outer Banks.

Hurricane Florence lashed the communities of Down East Carteret County and the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum that celebrates their heritage, but folks from here and yonder are working together to rebuild.